Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.
Max Verstappen raised his hand in frustration at Lewis Hamilton in an apparent moment of impeding during FP2 at Imola.
Verstappen appeared to be forced to release the throttle of his RB20 during the quick left-right maneuver of the Villeneuve Chicane. This occurred just as Hamilton was exiting the chicane, causing Verstappen to vent his frustration by swiftly crossing in front of the Mercedes and abandoning his lap.
Max Verstappen airs frustration at Lewis Hamilton in FP2 moment at Imola
During FP2, Verstappen expressed his frustration with the challenging nature of his car. After experiencing a nerve-wracking moment, he communicated through the team radio, exclaiming, “Oh my god, I can’t believe it. It’s extremely tough, everything. Out of nowhere, the front grip increased significantly, and I nearly lost control.”
Shortly after, Hamilton swiftly emerged in front of him, causing the reigning World Champion to reduce his speed. Hamilton maneuvered to the right side of the track and extended his hand out of the cockpit as a gesture of apology, while Verstappen drove alongside him and expressed his frustration through gestures from his own car.
During the session, Fernando Alonso had already criticized Hamilton for not getting off line quickly enough according to his preferences.
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Verstappen appeared reluctant to discuss the moment after FP2 concluded, choosing instead to emphasize Red Bull’s need to bridge the gap with their rivals.
He remarked, “This isn’t the first time.”
“You make an effort to remain composed, but unfortunately, it has occurred once more.”
I don’t want to delve into it extensively as it’s not our concern, but we were significantly off pace today, and that’s what we should focus on rectifying.
In the FP2 session at Imola, Verstappen secured the seventh position, falling short by half a second compared to Charles Leclerc’s fastest lap time. The drivers were engaged in qualifying simulations during this Friday session.
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